Steve Bruce pretty much set up the subplots himself prior to Aston Villa’s Sunday trip to QPR.
The 55-year-old was left seething with his side’s 1-0 defeat to Norwich City in midweek, promising that a number of fringe players would step up to the plate with his usual starters banished to the naughty step.
And he was true to his word. Bruce made six changes to the Villa starting XI at Loftus Road, with Pierluigi Gollini, Tommy Elphick, Ashley Westwood, Jack Grealish, Jordan Ayew and Gabby Agbonlahor all dropped to the bench.
However, while fans could take their exclusion as a sign that their futures are increasingly uncertain heading into the New Year, Grealish was at fault for Norwich’s winner while Westwood completed a measly 21 passes after all, reports by Buzz Sports that Marseille are keen on taking Ayew back to Ligue 1 will only intensify after he was forced to sit out against QPR.
Just a fortnight ago, Bruce confirmed that he wanted to trim down his attacker-heavy squad in January and, with Jonathan Kodjia netting the winner at Loftus Road, Gabby Agbonlahor back in the good books and Ross McCormack receiving public backing on more than one occasion, the future of a player with two goals in 19 appearances all season may well come into question.
True, the Ghanaian international has the all-too-rare ability to produce something out of nothing and change the game in an instant.
But those occasions have become increasingly rare, with the midweek non-event at Carrow Road the latest in a series of anonymous displays.
Bruce, a man who knows what it takes to win promotion, needs players he can rely on.
Ayew, one of the most talented yet undoubtedly the most frustrating member of his squad, produced his finest displays prior to Bruce’s October arrival, meaning a hefty offer from Marseille could prove too good to turn down.
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